Interconnected bomb rack controls



May 15, 1945. D. s. LEWIS ETAL INTERCONNECTED BOMB RACK CONTROL Filed July 26, 1943 4 Shee'ts-Sheet l S Zhwentors E mp May 15, 1945. D. s. LEWIS ETAL INTERCONNECTED BOMB RACK CONTROL Filed July 26, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 MT M \m S Snventors Win E Lew (Ittormgs May 15, 1945. D. s. LEWIS ETAL INTERCONNECTED BOMB RACK CONTROL Filed July 26, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 B M 1? 515C. POS.

EXTE/VQED $5 WW6 W iEW n 72 r flma i mm H. 5 0m y 1945- D. s. LEWIS El'AL 2,376,157

INTERCONNECTED BOMB RACK CONTROL v Filed July 26, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ECTRIOAL' PO rnou 'SAFE'POSITION l SALVO POSITION-7 4. EXTEND 7 "ELECTRIGAL' osmou- S, Lewis. 3nventors g Erving F. Laws I Gttomegs Patented May 15, 1945 INTERCONNEUIED BOMB RACK CONTROLS Delbert S. Lewis and Erving F. Lewis, Seattle, Wash., assignors to Boeing Aircraft Company, Seattle, Wash, a corporation of Washington Application July 26, 1943, Serial No. 496,112

16 maims. (Cl. 74-479) This invention concerns actuating mechanism for duplicating at one station movement initiated at a second station, and for effecting novel operations at one of such stations. It is applicable, for example, to a bomb rack installation, controllable from any one of two or more stations, as the bombers and the pilot's stations. The operation may involve merely conditioning of the bomb racks for release, or the actual release of of the bombs therefrom, or it may combine these two functions. This application is a continuation in part of our application Serial No. 425,660, filed January 5, 1942, for Interconnected bomb rack controls.

The primary object of this invention is so to interconnect such spaced-apart controls that any movement of any one control will be immediately reflected in identical and simultaneous movement of the other control or controls. Each such control normally incorporates a stop upstanding in the path of the bomb rack control lever, to prevent movement of the latter uninterruptedly from safe position to salvo position, and which requires the bomb rack control lever to stop in the selective position. Since some different movement of the control lever, for instance depression, is required before it can be moved thence to salvo position, it is an essential in such interconnecting means to provide for transmission from one station to all others, not only of the normal rotary movement of the bomb rack control lever, but also of the depressing movement. The lock at one station then may not block the movement of the bomb rack control lever at another station, and all such locks are moved aside when one is so moved.

A furtherobject is to provide for a control station, considered separately from the others, stop mechanism which may be moved into inoperative position easily, but by actuation of the control lever in a manner difierent from bomb release movement, and to return the stop automatically, or by a simple separate operation, to operative position again.

With these and other objects in mind, as will be clear from this description as it progresses, our invention comprises the novel parts, and the novel combination and arrangement of them, as shown in the accompanying drawings, described in this specification, and as will be more particularly defined by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings our invention is illustrated in typical arrangements, though it will be understood that many changes may be made in the specific form, character, and relationship of parts without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the control at one such station, which may be considered the pilots station, with parts in the safe position.

Figure 2 is a similar view, with parts broken away, and showing parts just prior to settling in selective position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a companion station, for instance the bombers station, and with parts settled into selective position.

Figure 4 is a detail showing the relative position of parts, following movement from the positions of Figures 2 and 3, in initiating movement toward salvo position.

Figure 5 is a detail section on line 55 of Figure 2, Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 2, and Figure '7 is a section substantially on the line ll of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the manner in which swinging movement of the controls for bomb releasing operation is transmitted from one station to another, and Figure 9 is a similar diagrammatic view illustrating transmission of lengthwise stop releasing movement of one lever to another.

Figure 10 is an elevation view of control mechanism incorporating a different type of stop structure, and Figure 11 is a view of such stop mechanism in full lines, with the other parts illustrated in phantom.

Figure 12 is a side elevation view, showing parts in section, on line I2-l2 of Figure 10, and Figure 13 is a further sectional view taken on line I3--l3 of Fi ure 10.

As an illustrative application of our mechanism, it can well be understood that it is desirable to provide a means whereby, in addition to the bomber, the pilot of a bombing airplane can, on occasion, drop bombs. It is particularly desirable that the pilot have within his power the ability to drop bombs by salvo, for in an emergency, of which only the pilot may be aware, it may be necessary to drop all the bombs immediately in order to lighten the airplane. Nevertheless it is highly important thatthe controls be such that the bombs can never he accidentally salvo-released, and hence it is necessary to provide a stop which will prevent the bomb rack control lever or release lever from moving past the selective or "electrical position from the safe position and towards the salvo position without stopping at the selective or some other intermediate position. A movement or action to release the stop diflerent from that occurring during progression from the "safe to the "selective" position is required before the lever may continue and complete its progress toward salvo" position. At the same time, if two or more stations are interconnected, and each has a stop or lock, the released the stop at one station must also accomplish release of the locks at all other stations. v

The operation of the bomb rack control lever ordinarily involves primarily a. translational or winging movement transversely of it length, but for the purpose of avoiding or releasing the lock it may involve a radial or depressing movement in the direction of its length. As has already been pointed out, it is immaterial whether the lever, so moved, be merely a lever to condition the bomb rack for release by other means, or whether it be in part or wholly the device which accomplishes the actual release of the bombs. It may, and in the present instance is intended to, partake of the nature of each such device, that is, when moved into selective or "electrical position it merely conditions the bomb rack for release by the normal firing key, but when moved to "salvo position it may operate, through mechanism not herein illustrated, to effect actual salvo release of the bombs.

Figure 1 and Figure 2 represent the pilot's control (though it might equallyv be the bombers control or a control at some other station) in two different positions, and Figure 3 represents an interconnected station, as the bombers control, in a position nearly but not quite corresponding to that of Figure 2. The principal difference between the installations at the twostations is that the actuator pulley 9 need be provided only at one such station, and i shown at the pilot's station. It is supported for rotation about a shaft 83, which supports it in a bracket 9I.-- The actuator pulley 9 is suitably connected, as by a :able 92, to the bomb rack (not shown). At the )ther station or stations no such actuator pulley s provided, but a similar shaft designated 80, to listinguish it, is supported in a bracket 8I.

At the pilot's station (Figures 1 and 2) a bomb 'ack control lever II is provided, which is longinidlnally slotted, as-indicated at I3, to straddle he shaft 90, and to permit movement of the le- 'er II transversely of the axis of this shaft. The ever also rotates about the shaft. A similar le- 'er I2 at the bombers station (Figure 3) is simiarly slotted, as indicated at I3, for similar movement with respect to its shaft 80. The leer II has oppositely directed arms I5 and I1, ,nd the lever I2 has similar arms I5 and H. n addition the lever II is provided with an arm 9, extending opposite its handle. The lever I2 loes not require a corresponding arm.

At the pilots station, mounted for rotation bout the shaft 90, are two pulleys 2 and 3. In he assembly as shown the lever II is intermeiate the pulleys 2 and 3, and the actuator pulley is behind the pulley 3 (see Figures 5 and 6). In 1e diagrammatic Figures 8 and 9, illustrating 1e operation, it has been more convenient to low the pulley 9 interposed between the lever I and pulley 3, but the location of pulley 9 is lerely a matter of choice. At the bombers staon there is a. similar arrangement, pulley 20 ad 30 corresponding to the pulleys 2and 3. Ineed, the pulleys 2 and 20 are connected for conrint rotary movement by the cable 2|, and the alleys 3 and 30 are similarly connected by the able 3 I.

The lever II is connected to rotate the actuator pulley 9 by means of the pin which passes through a large hole 31 in the pulley 3, if such pulley is intermediate the lever and pulley 9. The

pin I is received in a slot I3 in the arm I9 of the lever II, which slot is parallel to the slot I3. to afl'ord radial movement of the lever without interrupting the rotary connection between the lever I I and the actuator 9.

In addition the lever II is connected by a pin 23 to the pulley 2, which pin is received within a slot 24 in the arm I5, and is also connected by a. pin 33 to the pulley 3, which pin 33 is similarly received in a slot 35 in the arm II. At the bombers station a similar pin 23' in a slot in the arm I5, and a similar pin 33' in a slot in the arm Il', serve to connect the lever I2 with the pulleys 20 and 30, respectively.

It may now be seen, as indicated in Figure 8,

that pure rotary or swinging movement of the lever II, for instance, transversely of its length will effect corresponding rotary movement of the actuator pulley 9 and of the release operating pulleys 2 and 3 at this station, and since the pulleys 20 and 30 at the bombers station are'connected directly with the similar pulleys 2 and 3 respectively at the pilot's station through transmission cables 2I- and 3|, they, too, will rotate in the same manner and to the same degree, and will effect simultaneous swinging 0f the lever I2. In similar fashion, pure rotation of the lever I2 transversely of its length will effect swinging of the lever I I at the pilot's station, and of the actuator 9. Furthermore, if the lever II is moved radially in the direction of its length, for instance from its position of Figure 9 downwardly, the center of the pin 23 will move downwardly to the point indicated at A, and will accomplish limited rotation of the p'ulley 2. At the same 40 time such depression of the lever II will effect downward movement of the pin 33 and corresponding limited rotation of the pulley 3, to which the pin 33 is connected, but in the opposite sense.

In this fashion the pulleys 2 and 3 are moved to a limited degree, but reversely to one another, about the shaft 99. Since these pulleys at the pilots station are connected to identical pulleys 20 and 30 at the bombers station such movement at the one station will efiect like pulley rotation at the other station, as illustrated in Figure 9, and this like movement, acting reversely through the pins 23' and 33 connected to the respective pulleys 20 and 30, will draw the lever I2 downwardly, in precisely the same manner, simultaneously with, and to the same extent that the lever II was moved downwardly. Conversely, if it is the lever I2 which initiated downward move: ment, the lever II will be caused to follow, and to move identically. This action is employed to effect simultaneous disengagement of both levers from the stops provided to prevent continued movement 01' either lever past selective positiontosalvo position.

The pins 23 and 33 are disposed at opposite sides of the shaft 90, in a line which approximately coincides with a diameter through the shaft. The line joining these pins preferably includes the center of the slot I3, so that this line coincides with the shaft's axis only when the lever is in its neutral position assumed when the lever is set in one of its three notch held positions. When the lever is depressed to its lower limit, depressing thereby its arms I5 and I1 and the corresponding pins 23 and 33, it effects a shift of the pulley 3, for instance, so that the center of its large hole 31 shifts from B (Figure 2) to the opposite side of the axis of the pin I. It is to permit such movements of pulley 3 with respect to pin I which passes through it, that the hole 3I'is made large.

The lever II is provided with an abutment I4, and the lever I2 with a similar abutment IS. A quadrant l is provided at each station, having a notch ll representing the safety position, a notch 43 representing the salvo position, and a slide III is'provided with an upstanding stop shoulder leading to another notch 2, represent ng the selective" or electrical position. The slide 40 is guided in the quadrant 4 for radial movement, and is provided with ratchet teeth 45. with which dogs 5, pivoted upon the shaft 90 or 80 and urged together by a spring 46, engage to hold the slide to in its inwardly depressed position, when moved thereto by a depressing action of the lever II or I2 in the direction of its length. A spring 41, bearing upon the lever II or I2 and upon the under side of the quadrant 4 through a follower t8, tends to urge the abutment It or It, as the case may be, into-the respective notches of the quadrant, and the radial movement of the lever thus required is permitted by the slots at It and at It.

Assuming now that the lever II (or I2) is in the safety position, as shown in Figure l, and it is desired to effect selective release of bombs, it is only necessary to move the lever radially outward in the direction of its len th to. withdraw abutment Hi from notch 6| and then to swing the lever to the selective or electrical position of Figure 2. It may be released in such position when its abutment Id (or I6) will seat in the notch 62, as in Figure 3, and then the bombs can be released selectively by the normal electric selective release means, separate from this control; Such movement of the lever I I effects corresponding movement of the lever I2, for as it is pulled radially outward to the extended position of Fi ure 9, the pulleys 2 and 20 will be rotated sl ghtly in the sense opposite the rotation of pulleys 3 and 39 to efiect lengthwise reciprocation of the lever I2, and thereafter swinging of lever I I will rotate pulleys 2 and 3, and hence pulleys 20 and 36. in the same sense to swin lever I2 into the selective or electrical position. However, if it is desired to effect salvo release. the stop shoulder I of slide 40 blocks further movement of the lever II, for despite its radial lengthwise movement into extended position abutment It will not pass the portion of slide 90 between selective" and salvo positions. The shaft 90 b ttoms in the slot I3, preventing the lever being ulled outwardly far enough to pass the stop shoulder. as,

line arrows in Figure 9, and simultaneously rotates pulleys 20 and 30 in corresponding directions. Not only is the stop slide 80 with which the lever II is engaged moved inward, but lever I2, simultaneously moved to depressed position by the corresponding opposite rotation of pulleys 20 and 30, moves its slide 40 inward to its inner position where it is held by dogs 5 cooperating therewith.

- After both slides have thus been depressed to move their stop shoulders inward to the general level of their respective quadrants I, if the lever II or I2, as the case may be, is drawn outwardly lengthwise its abutment I4 or It will pass beyond the stop shoulder of its slide 40, as well as the outer periphery of the quadrant l, slide 40 being retained in the inner position of Fig. 4 by dogs 5. Such movement of either lever into extended position will rotate its pulleys in opposite directions, but reversely to the rotative di rections in which they moved during depression of the lever, as illustrated by the dot-dash line arrows in Figure 9. Both levers will therefore be moved outward simultaneously, and when thus extended they may be swung toward salvo position, as shown in dash lines in Figure 4. This movement of the actuated lever will, of course, rotate all the pulleys 2, 3, 20 and 30 in the same sense as indicated by the dot-dash line arrows in Figure 8.

Both levers are thus swung entirely over to the salvo position. Normally this will effect salvo release of all the bombs. The stop slide 46, however, has sufilciently interrupted the movement of the levers from safe to salvo Position that this cannot be accomplished accidentally, but must be efiected intentionally because of the double lengthwise reciprocation of the levers required.

After the bombs have thus been dropped, either lever may again be moved into extended position to withdraw the abutment I4 from notch Alt, whereupon such lever may be swung back to the selective position and thence to the safe position. Corresponding movement of the other lever will, of course, be effected simultaneously. Engagement of the dogs 5 with each slide 40 maintains it in the inner position to enable the lever abutment to pass the slide during such swinging. After the levers have been swung back to selective position each slide 40 may be returned to its outer position. Such slide resetting may be accomplished by squeezing toward each other the ends of the dog arms 5 between which spring 56 is interengaged, to swing the opposite ends of such arms away from each other and out of contact with the interposed slide dll, andv one of the levers, thus disposed in selective position, may then be drawn lengthwise outward to move the slide outward again to the position shown in Figure 1. All other levers will be moved correspondingly and simultaneously by such lever movement, but only the slides whose dogs 5 are thus disengaged by such movement of their dog arms will be reset. Upon release of pressure on the dog arms the slide will once more be held in a position'such as shown in Fig. 3 interdicting movement of the associated lever beyond selective position toward salvo position. Each slide may thus be reset individually, or as many may be reset simultaneously as are released from their respective dogs.

The modified construction shown in Figures 10 to 13, inclusive, transmits motion of one lever to the other in the same manner as in the modification previously described. The parts are similarl numbered and R15 unnecessary to repeat the description of the operation. As has been noted, however, the stop slide 4!] at each station had to be reset separately, no mechanism being provided for transmitting such resetting movement from one station to another. In the modified form resetting mechanism for the safety stop slide is illustrated which is actuated auto- In this instance a slide 50 replaces the dogs 5 V and the slide 45 of the other form of our device.

'I'hisslide extends from the quadrant I radially inward and has an aperture 5| in its inner end which encircles shaft 95, as shown in Figure 11. A slot in its radially outer end fits over a pin carried by a fixedbracket 52'. Such slots merely serve as guides to control radial lengthwise movement of the slide. In a notch 55 in the outer end of lever 50 is engaged a knob on the end of a lever 54 pivoted by a pin55. .The opposite end of this lever is engaged with one leg of a leaf spring 55 of U shape, the otherleg of which is pivoted by a pin 51 to the quadrant I.

When slide 50 is in its outer or operative position the point of engagementbetween the end:

of spring 56 and the end of lever 54, as shown in Figure 10, is located eccentrically of the line joining pivots 55' and 51, at the side thereof such that the spring exerts a force on lever 54 in a direction to pry slide 50 outward by its engagement with notch 53. Normally, therefore, the slide is held in a position such that abutment l4 would engage its stop shoulder if one attempted to swing lever II or II beyond the electrical position toward salvo" position. The force exerted through lever 54 by spring 58 is insufficient, however, to prevent radially inward movement of slide 50 by slight radial, pressure on it. As the lever H is reciprocated lengthwise from the extended to the depressed position in Figure 11, when it is at the "electrical location therefore, slide 55 will be shifted radially inward. Such movement also swings the end of lever 54 engaged with it in an inward direction and its other end outward. This outward swinging also rotates spring 55 by reason of its engagement with the lever end so that the point of the spring and lever engagement is now located at the opposite side of a line joining lever pivot 55 and springpivot 51. In this position the spring exerts a force on the slide lever in a direction to hold slide 50 in its inner position, so that as lever II is withdrawn lengthwise into its extended position slide 50 will not follow.

The stop shoulder of slide 55 will thus be moved to inoperative position and held therein so that the lever H, having been drawn lengthwise to extended position, may be swung from the "electrical position on to the salvo position indicated in Figure 11. As previously described,-movement of one lever to depressed position will similarly move all other levers so that the stop slide 50 of each will be held in its inner position by the respective springs 55. Not only may the levers be moved simultaneously from "electrical position to salvo" position, but they may be swung reversely back to electrical position past the retracted slides after all the bombs have been released.

As the lever II is moved from electrical position toward safe position when the slide 50 is still in its inner position the abutment "will ride upon the edge 55 of lever 5|, forming an inclined wedging plane. As swinging of the lever I I in such direction progresses, this edge of lever 54 will gradually be depressed to rotate the lever from the position of Figure 11 toward that of Figure 10, until, when lever I I has passed the end of this inclined plane portion 58 of the lever edge, the point of engagement between spring 55 and the end of lever 54 will have been moved to retain said stop member in its inoperative poto the opposite side of the line joining lever pivot 55 and spring pivot 51, at which side it was lo-,

cated originally. Simultaneously slide 55 will have been moved radially outward to some extent by swinging of the lever end engaged in its notch 53. The resilience of spring 55 will complete the rotation of lever. 54 into the position of Figure 10 so that the slide will once more have been moved to its fully outward position, and

thereafter itwill be held in such position by the after the control lever has again been reciprocated lengthwise to move the slide inwardly. Since the slide resetting mechanism is duplicated at all the other stations all the stop slides will be reset into their outer positions in the 'manner described as the operating levers are swung conjointly from "electrical to "safe" position.

What we claim as our invention is:

1'. Control mechanism comprising an operating handle, means supporting said handle for movement transversely of its length between two extreme positions, a stop member intermediate such extreme positions, engageable by said handle during movement thereof from an initial extreme position toward the other extrem position for interrupting such movement, means guiding said stop member for displacement into inoperative position-out of the transverse movement path of said operating handle by movement of said handle in the direction of its length, and means operable sition to permit continued movement of the handle transversely of its length to such other extreme position.

2. Control mechanism comprising an operating handle, means supporting said handle for movement transversely of its length between two extreme positions, a stop member intermediate such extreme positions, engageable by said handle during movement thereof from an initial extreme position toward the other extreme position for interrupting such movement, means guiding said stop member for displacement into inoperative position out of the transverse movement path of said operating handle by movement of said handle in the direction of its length, means for retaining the stop member in its inoperative position, to permit continued movement of the handle transversely of its length to such other extreme position, until after the operating handle has been returned toward such initial extreme position past the location of the stop member, and means operable by movement of the operating handle from the location of the stop member toward such initial extreme position to effect return of the stop member into the transverse movement path of said operating handle.

3. Control mechanism comprising an operating handle, pivot means supporting said handle for swinging transversely of its length between two extreme positions, a stop member intermediate such extreme positions, engageable by said handle during movement thereof from an initial extreme position toward the other extreme position for interrupting such movement, means guiding said stop member for displacement toward said handle pivot means into inoperative position out of the transverse swinging path of'said operating handle, means supporting said handle for reciprocation toward its pivot means when in engagement with said stop member, thereby to displace said stop member into inoperative position, and

means operable to retain said stop member in such inoperative position to permit swinging of said handle beyond the stop member location toward such other extreme position.

4. Control mechanism comprising an operating handle, pivot means supporting said handle for swinging transversely of its length between two extreme positions, a stop member intermediate such extreme positions, engageable by said handle during movement thereof from an initial extreme position toward the other extreme position for interrupting such movement, means guiding said stop member for displacement toward said handle pivot means into inoperative position out of the transverse swinging path of said operating handle, means supporting said handle for reciprocation toward its pivot means when in engagement with said stop member, thereby to displace said stop member into inoperative position, a lever engageable with said stop member, and spring means cooperating with said lever normally urging said stop member into the transverse swinging path of said operating handle, and further operable upon displacement of said stop member into inoperative position out of the transverse swinging path of said operating handle to retain said lever in such position to permit swinging of said.

handle beyond the stop member location toward such other extreme position, said lever being engageable by said operating handle during movement thereof between the stop member location and its initial extreme position to swing the lever for effecting return of said stop member from its inoperative position into the transverse swinging path of said operating handle.

5. Control mechanism comprising operating means at one location, an elongated member at a remote location, means supporting said elongated member ior movement both transversely of its length and in the direction of its length, and two cables operatively interconnecting said operating means and said elongated member, said operatin means being operable to effect lengthwise movement of said cables conjointly in the same direction to shift said elongated member transversely of its length, and said operating means further being operable to efiect lengthwise movement of said cables conjointly in opposed directions to shift said elongated member in the direction of its length.

6. Control mechanism comprising an operating handle at one location, means supporting said handle for both swinging transversely of its length and for lengthwise reciprocation, a second control handle at a remote location, means supporting said second control handle for both swinging transversely of its length and for lengthwise reciprocation, and cables operatively interconnecting said two control handles, movable conjointly lengthwise in the same direction to efiect such swinging of one of said control handles by swinging of the other control handle, and movable conjointly lengthwise in opposed directions to efiect such reciprocation of one control handle by reciprocation of the other control handle.

7. Control mechanism comprising a pair of adjacent wheels pivoted coaxially for independent rotation, a control handle operatively connected with both of said wheels and reciprocable lengthwise generally radially or said wheels to rotate said wheels simultaneously in opposite directions, a second pair of adjacent wheels at a location remote from said first pair of wheels and pivoted coaxially for independent rotation, a control handle operatively connected with both wheels of said second pair and reciprocable lengthwise generally radially of said wheels by rotation of such wheels in opposite directions, and means internecting said two pairs of wheels operable-to effect rotation of the wheels of said second pair in opposite directions in response to rotation of the wheels of said first pair in opposite directions by reciprocation of said first control handle, thereby to reciprocate said second control handle lengthwise corresponding to such reciprocation of said first control handle.

8. Control mechanismcomprising a pair of ad-.

jacent wheels pivoted coaxially for independent rotation, a control handle operatively connected with both of said wheels and swingable transversely of its length to rotate at least one of said wheels and reciprocable lengthwise general- 1y radially of said wheels to rotate .said wheels simultaneously in opposite directions, a second pair of adjacent wheels at "a location remote from said first pair of wheels and pivoted coaxially for independent rotation, a control member operatively connected with both wheels of said second pair swingable transversely of its length by rotation with one oi such wheels and reciprocable lengthwise generally radially of said wheels by rotation of such wheels in opposite directions, and means interconnecting said two pairs of wheels operable to eiiect rotation of at least one wheel of said second pair and said control member in response to rotation of a wheel of said first pair by swinging of said control handle transversely of its length, and further operable to effect rotation of the wheels of said second :pair in opposite directions in response to rotation of the wheels of said first pair in opposite directions by lengthwise reciprocation or said control handle, thereby to reciprocate said control member lengthwise corresponding to such reciprocation of said control handle.

9. Control mechanism comprising a wheel, a control handle operatively connected with said wheel to rotate it conjointly with said handle, and further to rotate said wheel by movement of said control handle relative thereto in a direction generally radially thereof, a second wheel at a location remote from said first wheel, means operable to rotate said second wheel correspondingly by rotation of said first wheel, a control member operatively connected with said second wheel to be rotated thereby and oonjointly therewith by rotation of said control handle, and means operable to effect movement of said control member generally radially of said second wheel upon rotation thereof effected by movement or said control handle generally radially of said first wheel.

10. Control mechanism comprising a control handle, a wheel at a location remote from said control handle, means operable by said control handle to rotate said wheel, a control arm operatively connected to said wheel for rotation therewith, and also, by relative rotation of said wheel and arm, for lengthwise reciprocation of said arm relative to said wheel and generally radially thereof, and means cooperating with said control arm for restraining conjoint rotation of said arm with said wheel by movement of said control handle, to effect lengthwise reciprocation of said arm relative to said wheel. 1

11. In combination with an actuator rotatable from a safe" position through a selective" position to a salvo position to condition a bomb rack for release, interconnected mechanism at each of several stations, such as a bombardier's and a pilots station, to eflect such rotation, said mechanism comprising an operating lever at one station mounted for rotation concentrically with and operatively connected to rotate the actuator,

and for reciprocation relatively to the axis of rotation, a similarly rotatable and reciprocable lever at each other station, intercepting means at each station, at the selective position, to intercept rotation of the lever, each of said intercepting means being passable by its lever only after reciprocation of said intercepting means by reciprocatory movement of its said lever, and rotary means interconnecting the levers at each station operable to transmit both rotative and reciprocatory movement of one lever to all other levers.

12. In combination with an actuator rotatable from a safe position through a selective position to a salvo position to condition a bomb rack for release, interconnected mechanism at each of several stations, such as a bombardiers and a pilots station, to effect such rotation, said mechanism comprising an operating lever at one station mounted for rotation concentrically with and operatively connected to rotate the actuator, and slotted for reciprocation transversely of the axis of rotation, a similarly slotted lever rotatable and reciprocable at each other station, intercepting means at each station, at the selective position, to intercept rotation of its lever, each of said intercepting means being passable by its lever only after reciprocation of said intercepting means to inoperative position by reciprocatory movement of its said lever, operating means at each station connected to its own lever for rotation by such transverse reciprocation of such lever, or to eflect such reciprocation of its lever when said operating means is rotated, and transmission means interconnecting each such operating means with corresponding operating means at each other station, to effect identical rotational and reciprocatory movement of all said levers when any one thereof is moved.

13. In combination with an actuator rotatable from a safe position through a selective position to a salvo position to condition a bomb rack for release, interconnected mechanism at each of several stations, such as a bombardiers v and a pilots station, to effect such rotation, said mechanism comprising an operating lever at one station mounted for rotation concentrically with and operatively connected, outwardly of the axis of rotation, with the actuator, for rotation of the latter, said lever being slotted at the axis and in its connection to the actuator, for reciprocation transversely of the axis of rotation, a similar lever rotatable at each station, and slotted for reciprocation relative to its axis of rotation, intercepting means at Lach station to intercept rotation of its lever at the selective position, each of said intercepting means being passable by its lever only after reciprocation of said intercepting means to inoperative position by reciprocatory movement of its lever, operating means at each station connected to its own lever, outwardly of the axis of rotation, for limited rotation about such axis by such transverse reciprocation of such lever, or to eifect such reciprocation or its lever when said operating means is otherwise rotated, and transmission means interconnecting each such operating means with corresponding operating means at each other station, to effect identical rotation of one such means when any other such means is rotated, whether by reciprocatory or rotational movement of a lever.

14. In combination, a shaft, an actuator member rotatable thereabout from a "safe position through a "selective" position to a "salvo position to condition a bomb rack for release, and interconnected mechanism at each of two stations, such as a bombardiers station and a. pilot's station, to effect such rotation, said mechanism comprising an operating lever member at one station slotted to receive the actuator member shaft, a pin outwardly of the shaft's axis, the pin being received in one of said members, and the other of said members being slotted parallel to the lever member's shaft receiving slot, whereby the lever member may reciprocate relatively to the actuator member, and the two members will rotate conJointly, a similar slotted operating lever memher at the other station, a shaft received in such slot, a quadrant at each station guiding said lever members, respectively, for rotary movement in a fixed path, a stop upstanding in the path of each such lever member at the selective" position to block its further rotation, each stop being mounted for movement from such blocking position by inward movement of its lever, member, two pulleys freely rotatable about the shaft at each station, and each having a pin connection eccentrically of its shaft to the lever member at its station, the pin connections to the two pulleys at each station being at opposite sides of the shaft for reversed rotational movement of the pulleys by a given transverse movement of the lever, and cables connecting like pulleys at the two stations for corresponding movement.

15. In combination, a shaft, an actuator thereon rotatable from a safe position through a selective" position to a salvo position to condition a bomb rack for release, and interconnected mechanism at each of several stations, such as a bombardier's and a pilots station, to eilect such rotation, said mechanism comprising an operating lever at one station mounted for rotation concentrically with and bperatively connected to rotate the actuator, and slotted to straddle the shaft for reciprocation transversely of the axis of rotation, a shaft and a similarly rotatable and reciprocable lever at each other station, a quadrant at each station permitting rotation of its lever only when its slot is bottomed upon its shaft, 9. stop in the selective position at each station, upstanding to block movement of the lever towards salvo position, and a guide for said stop guiding it for radial inward movement by depression of the lever, transversely of the shaft, and means interconnecting the levers at each station to transmit identical rotative and transverse movement of any one lever to all other such levers.

16. The combination of claim 15, including a dog at each station engageable with the stop, to hold the stop depressed, and thus to enable move ment of the lever to salvo" position.

DEIZBERT S. LEWIS. ERVING F. LEWIS. 

